Sheet feeder



June 10, 1952 J. R. WOOD 2,600,356

SHEET FEEDER Filed June 9, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. .f4/ 4E6 A. 14 000 BY I Maw 2M J. R. WOOD- SHEET FEEDER June 10, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1948 INVENTOR. JhMES z? W000 BY 23M a W flrroewsxi J- R. WOOD SHEET FEEDER June 10, 1952 Filed June 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 k 7 F W M, J 2 w Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED SHEET FEEDER Jame It; w s Cleveland, c lia; assigriof w Harris-Seybold {Co'r'npanm Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application June 9,- 1948,'Serial-No'. 31,-4 I

e'oiaims. (01.211 53) This invention relates to improvements in sheet feeders, and hasto do primarily with" fer cylinder having a stationary period,' as

acceleration period-a constant speed period and a decelerating period is arranged to transfer" sheets one at a time to a continuously rotating cylinder, and is supplied with front steps against which the forward edge of each-sheet afte'f'bing preliminarily registered on a feed board-is pressed by a pair of nipper rolls, the nipper rolls being driven from the transfer cylinder by coritinuously meshing gears and therefore partak ing of the same periods. Thegeari'ng is so arranged however that the surface speedof the nipper r011sexceeds that of the transfer cylinder. The over feeding of the sheet against the stops on the transfer cylinder preferably takes effect during the said acceleration period, although it may take place during theconstant speed period, and the transfer of the sheet from the transfer cylinder to acontinuouslyrotating cylinder of the press takes place duringthe constant speed rotation of thetransfer cylinder. The nipper rolls close upon the sheet when the rolls and the sheet are stationary and-before the front guides are withdrawn, and because the nipper rolls aecelerate gradually control ofthe sheet by the nipper rolls is accurately maintained until the sheet is grasped by the sheet grippers on the transfer cylinder. The drive of the nipper rolls is designed to provide a small degree of over feeding of the sheet against the rotating stops thereby ensuring the arrival of thesheetat the stops and the correction of any slight derangement ofthe front edge of the sheet whichmight occur during side-register thereof. a

One of the objects of the invention therefore is the provision of an improved method and means for takingsheets from the forward end of a feed board andtransferring them to grippers of a'rotating printing press or other sheet'handling machine. I

Another object is the provisionof a novel meth d and means for driving apa-ir of nipper rolls from an intermittently, rotatin transfer cylinder to provide gradual acceleration of the sheet edge against stops on the transfer cylinder.

Other objects aha features r n veity will pear as I proceed with thedscr'iption embodiment ef the invention which', for the-per po e 6f h e n pp m F. hEiY Limit? trated in theaecoifipanying' drawings; in w ch- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side'eleyatior'ial' ew of sheet feeding means embodying'the-irivent the transfer ylin'defand the'hifiper "fol-1s being in their stationary period; and" the riirwpfrolls being closed upon the sheet. t

Fig; 2 is a fragmerital plani view-ofthe same:

scale, showing the transfer oylinde'rand' 'ifi 1 3 2 s e s e period m fih' Fig". 41s a similar View 'showirig'the pa the end of the "ctnstant speed-- period or' the be inning" of the deceleration period. i

Fig." 5 is 'a'simnar view ri u tratmgtnete" ning' of the stationary period duringwhie sheet is front and side registeredon' th fed board preparatory to the easing" ofth ni'pper rolls.

Fig. '6 1'5" a view similar to Figri-buton ailarger scale. I I h v a In the drawing" theimpressio'n cylinder of a rotary drf'settr'ess i indicated at my a H were: sents a entmuus1y1rotauegj cylinder} which may be termed a; sheet advancing" cylin adapted to present sheets to the-impress'iefloy der. Aii intenn'ittently rotating; cylinder l2] arranged to take sheets"from a" feed board -l3-is driven from Cylinder H, the mechanismb'ing such a's-to provides," stationary peri'd" anaccelerating period; a constant's'peed rotafitn' period' and a decelerating period-,- the" d' ing mechanism for the purpose being known in -the art andfully described Patent N r 2,192,908 tQHarIOIdet :11; Drive may besu'pp der- H y a small gear 14 meshing g g Gear [5' turn meshes with gear] 6- dri cylinder I0, and intermittently with a segmental gear I! on cylinder l2. The pitch" lines of gears 1 5,; I 6 and nconform with the surfaces" ofthe eeriespondifigcylinders. While'I have termed these The illustrated mechanism for driving cylinder l2 will now be briefly described.

20 is a bracket which turns with cylinder II. On its inner side it carries two rollers 2| and 22, and on its outer side it carries two other rollers 23 and 24. Rollers 2| and 22 engage at times with the side edges of a fishtail cam 25 which is mounted to turn with the shaft of cylinder l2. A pair of cams 26 and 21 fixed upon cam 25 have internal edge surfaces with which the rollers 23 and 24 engage.

In Fig. l the acceleration period is beginning, that is roller 2| has come into engagement with an outer end of fishtail cam 25, and as the roller travels downward it rides inwardly along the cam, thereby gradually increasing the speed of the cam and hence of the cylinder l2. During this time roller 23 by engaging cam 26 holds the cam 25 against the roller 2| and prevents rotation of cylinder l2 faster than intended. When the roller 2| reaches the inner end of the cam 25 the cylinder l2 will have been accelerated to the same surface speed as cylinder I, and gear II will then have been brought into mesh with gear I5, so that cylinder 12 will turn at the same surface speed as cylinder l I.

The period of constant speed rotation continues until the are 28 of gear I! which is devoid of teeth again comes into the line of centers of gears l and H, at which time roller 22 will be engaged by the opposite side edge of fishtail cam 25, as illustrated in Fig. 4. At this time the roller and cam are turning at equal speed, but as the roller travels downwardly or counterclockwise it moves outwardly along the cam surface or away from the center of revolution of the cam, and thereby decelerates the cam and the cylinder |2. During this deceleration period the roller 24 running upon cam 21 maintains the fishtail cam in contact with roller 22.

At the point in the cycle illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing the cam 25 and the cylinder l2 have been decelerated to zero speed and the rollers 22 and 24 are leaving the cams 25 and 21. Also at this point a block 39 has entered a socket or recess 3| in a disk 36 which rotates with gear I! to hold cylinder [2 against accidental movement during the stationary period. The stationary period continues until roller 2| travels from the position illustrated in Fig. 5 to that illustrated in Fig. 1. Block 39 is carried on a bell crank 32 pivoted at 33 to the frame of the machine, the other arm of the bell crank carrying a follower 34 which runs upon a cam 35. This cam has continuous rotation in one to one ratio with cylinders l0 and II. The follower 34 is held against the cam by suitable spring means, not shown. At about the time the roller 2| engages cam 25 follower 34 rides down oif th high spot of cam 35 and the block'39 releases its hold upon cylinder i2.

31' is a shaft journaled in the frame of the machine somewhat above cylinder I2 and to the rear of its axis. Shaft 31 carries a series of disks 38, which together constitute a nipper roll. Shaft 37 also carries a gear 39 which meshes with a gear ifl keyed to the shaft of cylinder |2. Gear 48- is of greater diameter than gear ll, so that disks 38 are driven at greater surface speed than they would be if gear 39 were meshed with gear H. A lower nipper roll 4| is built in spaced sections which are adapted to contact disks 38 through suitable slots in feed board l3. The spaced sections of nipper roll 4| are carried upon the extremities of arms 43 keyed to shaft 44 pivoted in the frame and carrying a lever 43' having a follower 45 at its lower end which runs on a rotating cam 46 that also turns in one to one ratio with cylinders l9 and 1|. It will be apparent therefore that during a sort interval of each cycle nipper roll 4| is raised to press a sheet against disks 38 of the upper nipper roll. This interval begin at about the end of the stationary period of cylinder l2, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and continues into the acceleration period as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Sheets may be brought down onto feed board l3 singly or in a stream by traveling tapes 48. Front guides 49 of conventional character are clamped to a rock shaft 50 journaled in the frame and oscillated by known means to bring the guides into the path of the sheets traveling over the feed board at the proper time in the cycle. In Figs. 1 and 5 they are illustrated in operative positidn. The side registration of each sheet directly after it is front registered is contemplated, but as mechanism for accomplishing side registration is well known in the art no mechanism for that purpose is illustrated herein.

Cylinder |2 carries a series of front stops 52 against which the forward edge of each sheet is to be pressed by the nipper rolls. Cylinder l2 also carries a rock shaft 53 upon which are fixed gripper fingers 54 that cooperate with gripper pads 55. Shaft 53 is actuated at properly timed intervals to swing grippers 54 into gripping relation with pads 55 for grasping the forward edge of a sheet, and at other intervals to swing away from the pads for releasing the sheet. The grippers may be operated by conventional means not herein shown.

Sheet advancing cylinder H and impression cylinder iii are also provided with sheet grippers 56 and 51 respectively, grippers 56 taking a sheet from grippers 54 and presenting it to grippers 51, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

In order to insure the engagement of the forward edge of each sheet with the front stops 52 on cylinder |2 I may provide a guard 50, illustrated in Fig. 6, consisting of a series of fiat metal fingers shaped to conform closely to the contour of the feed board l3 and cylinder I2 and carried upon a shaft 6| which extends across the machine above cylinder l2. In practice the guard 55 is raised slightly during the greater part of each cycle and is lowered to the illustrated position just prior to the time each sheet is fed forward by the nipper rolls. The relative speeds of the nipper rolls and the cylinder l2 are such that a small buckle tends to be formed behind the front stops 52, but the guard 30 controls this buckle and prevents its assuming too short a curvature.

Operation.-A sheet coming down the feed board I3 is front registered against front guides 49 and is then side registered in the conventional manner. This occurs as soon as possible after the preceding sheet has passed the front guides 49. As soon as registration is completed, and toward the end of the stationary period of cylinder l2, cam 45 acts upon lever 43 to close the nipper rolls against the registered sheet. Immediately thereafter cam 35 permits block 39 to move out of socket 3|, thereby unlocking cylinder i2. Roller 2| then travels downwardly against fishtail cam 25, accelerating cylinder [2 and theupper nipper roll. Before acceleration begins the sheet is firmly in the grasp of the nipper rolls. Their acceleration is smooth and gradual, so that there is no tendency to jerk the sheet out of its registered relation to its path of movement. Gear 40, being larger than gear [7, drives the nipper rolls at a faster surface speed than the stops 52, and consequently during the acceleration period the forward edge of the sheet is pressed against the stops as shown in Fig; 3, where the sheet is marked S. mediately thereafter, before the nipper rolls are opened by the movement of cam 66, the sheet grippers grasp the forward edge of the sheet and carry it forward. The speed of the grippers at the time they close upon the sheet may be of the order of one-half or two-thirds of the surface speed Of cylinders II and I0. During its forward travel over cylinder l2 the sheet may be held in engagement with the surface of that cylinder by suitable means, such as by brushes 59. Before grippers 54 reach the line of centers of cylinders l2 and II cylinder 12 will have been accelerated to the same surface speed as cylinder I I, so that transfer of the sheet to grippers 56 is accomplished accurately and without damage to the sheet.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Mechanism for feeding sheets to a printing press or other sheet handling machine, comprising a continuously rotating cylinder, a transfer cylinder in sheet transferring relation therewith, front stops on said transfer cylinder, driving connections between said cylinders for causing said transfer cylinder to have a stationary period, an acceleration period, a period of constant speed rotation at the surface speedof said continuously rotating cylinder and a deceleration period, nipper rolls for over feeding sheets to said transfer cylinder stops, continuously meshing gearing connections between said transfer cylinder and one of said nipper rolls for driving said last named nipper roll at a surface speed above that of said transfer cylinder, and intermittently acting means for exerting tractive force between said last named nipper roll and a sheet to be fed.

2. Mechanism as defined in claim 1, comprising means for causing said nipper rolls to advance the sheet during the said acceleration period.

3. Mechanism as defined in claim 2, comprising front guides disposed forward of the bite of said nipper rolls, and means for causing said nipper rolls to close on the sheet during said stationary period after the sheet is registered against said guides.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said gearing connections comprise a gear on said transfer cylinder of greater diameter than said transfer cylinder, and a gear on one of said nipper rolls meshing with said transfer cylinder gear.

5. Mechanism for feeding sheets to a printing press or other sheet handling machine, comprising a continuously rotating cylinder, a transfer cylinder in sheet transferring relation therewith,

connections from said continuously rotating cylinder for causing said transfer cylinder to have acceleration and deceleration periods with an intermediate period of constant speed rotation equal in surface speed to the surface speed of said continuously rotating cylinder, nipper rolls for over feeding sheets to said transfer cylinder stops, continuously meshing gearing connections between said transfer cylinder and one of said nipper rolls for driving said last named nipper roll at a surface speed above that of said transfer cylinder, and means for moving the other nipper roll into position for exerting tractive force against the sheet to' be fed during said acceleration period.

6. Mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said transfer cylinder is of greater diameter than either of said nipper rolls and wherein said gearing connections consist of intermeshing continuous gears on said transfer cylinder and one of said nipper rolls, said intermeshing gears being proportioned to drive said last named nipper roll at a surface speed greater than that of said transfer cylinder.

'7. Mechanism as defined in claim 6, comprising cam means for causing said nipper rolls to close on each sheet prior to the constant speed period of said transfer cylinder.

8. Mechanism for feeding sheets to a printing press or other sheet handling machine having a continuously rotating cylinder, comprising a transfer cylinder in sheet transferring relation to said continuously rotating cylinder, driving connections for rotating said transfer cylinder at variable speeds including a period of constant speed rotation at the surface speed of said continuously rotating cylinder, nipper rolls for feeding sheets to said transfer cylinder, continuously meshing gearing connections between said transfer cylinder and one of said nipper rolls and means for pressing said nipper rolls into sheet feeding relation during each cycle prior to the beginning of said period of constant speed rotation.

9. Mechanism for feeding sheets to a printing press or other sheet handling machine, comprising an intermittently rotating sheet receiving cylinder having a stationary period, an accelerating period and a decelerating period, nipper rolls for feeding sheets to said sheet receiving cylinder, continuously meshing gear connections between said sheet receiving cylinder and one of said nipper rolls for driving the latter at a surface speed greater than that of said receiving cylinder, and means for pressing said nipper rolls into sheet feeding relation during the stationary period of said sheet receiving cylinder.

JAMES R. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date I-Iarrold et al July 8, 1941 Number 

